Process of producing relief effects



June 27, 1933. A, J. CAMPBELL 1915,515

PROCESS OF PRODUCING RELIEF EFFECTS Filed Sept. 22, 1932 IINVENTOR ARTHUR J. CAMPBELL ATTORNEY ARTHUR J. CAMPBELL, OF NEW Patented June 27, 1.933

1 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 BENJAMIN S. HEBTZ, 0]?

NEW YORK, N. Y. I

rRoeEss or rnonncme nEnIm' armors Application filed September 22, 1932. Serial No. 634,303.

This invention relates to an improved method of "producing relief effects on pic tures, and it has for one ofits objects to make a process of this kind applicable to. l1thographs, prints and other pictorlal repre sentations appearing on various kinds of paper and related materials, asWell as on photographs.

Most processes of this classhavebeenheretofore limited almost exclusively to photo graphs, due to the fact that photographic paper generally contains a gelatinous surfacing possessingmore or less resilient properties .that permit a .certain amount of stretching and flexing,which is obviously an essential step in producing three-dimensional effects from a flat sheet of paper. This gelatinous surface preventsa breaking and cracking of the paper, and adhesively holds separated fibres together if it is not stretched too far. Without gelatinous coating or the equivalent, practically no stretching can be effected, so that lithographs, prints and other relatively inexpensive and non-photo graphic paper could not-be properly worked for this purpose. To overcome these limitations, to permit a greater stretching of photographic paper in this kind of process than has been heretofore obtained, and to widen the field of this art to make it applicable to a great variety of picture-bearing papers and materials, I have conceived this invention, which is based upon my discovery of the effect .upon the stretchability of paper having a'coatmg of a glue on the back surface thereof, of operatively applying a relatively warm filler against said back surface,a process which will hereinafter be more fully explained.

Inv other similar-processes known to the art, the fillers employed for backing up the.

projected portions of the picture have generally proven unsatisfactory, primarily due to the fact that the filler contracted considerably during the process of drying and setting, thereby causing considerable strain on the mounting of the picture and frequently re-' 'sulting in a warping of the assembly. It

has hence been found necessary to use a relatively heavy and rigid framework, such as "the picture assembly, but I produce a relaframe to which the picture assembly of Figcardboard? ply-board, to withstand this strain, thereby increasing both the weight and the cost of the article. I haveSsucceeded in discovering anon-contracting filler which I' use with the process constituting this invention, making .55- it possible for me to employ a thin, lightweight and inexpensive mounting, such as ordinary cardboard or the like. Thus, not

only do I prevent warping and distorting of tivlely light, easily-handled and cheap ar-' t1c e. v v

Furthermore, the use of this non-contractmg 'filler eliminates another disadvantage prevalent in processes employing other fillers,-the formation of spaces and gaps between the rear of the projected picture and the forward part of the filler, after contraction. As the plastic compound which I employ as a filler does not contract, there is always a firm backing to permanently hold the projected picture'in relief. My use of a mounting as thin and porous as cardboard has the additional advantage of allowing a relatively rapid evaporation of the moisture in the filler, thereby permitting a much more rapid drying and setting than is possible where heavy mounts are employed. Other features, advantages and objects will appear from. the drawing and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 represents the picturevbefore it is processed; Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section of the picture-bearing paper with a thin flexible backing shown glued to the back thereof and having a coat ing of glue on its rear surface; and Figure 3 is a rear view of a cardboard mounting or inc 2 is adhesivelyattached, showing the cut out silhouette of the picture proper on the underneath this assembly, within a press; the dot-dash lines illustrating the position of the parts after pressure had been applied.

Figure 6 is a section of the upper portion of the press containing a mould of the effect to be produced, and a Figure 7 is a cross-section of an assembly of the finished product.

In the drawing, the sheet 10 bears the picture 11 thereon, the rear of said sheet having adhesively attached thereto, by the coat of glue 12. the flexible backing 13 the rear of which is surfaced with another coating of glue 11. As a mounting for the assembly of sheets 10 and 13 the frame 15 is employed, which may be made of cardboard or any other material, although a relatively light and thin material is preferred. This frame or mounting 15 has a cut-out portion forming an opening 16 behind the assembly of sheets 10 and 1'3. the walls 17 of said opening being coincident with the outer periphery or silhouette of the picture proper 11.

The assembly shown in Figure 3 is placed face down, and the beaver board 18 is superimposed thereon, this board having a silhouetted opening therein similar to 16, the retaining wall 19 thereof being preferably coincident with wall 17. Instead of this beaver board 18, a retaining wall of almost any construction and material may be employed, provided this wall embraces within its enclosed area all of the opening 16; but I prefer to use the beaver board 18 particularly because it can again be used in a later step in this process where it serves as a spacer.

A hot plastic filler 20, preferably made according to my own formula as will be hereinafter set forth, is placed into the spaced contained within the walls 17 and 19, and upon the exposed portion. of the backing 13,the mass extending up to the top of wall 19, which is of a predetermined height depending upon the desired extent of projection of the relief picture. The board 18 or the equivalent retaining wall is then removed, preparatory to being placed into the press containing the upper and lower portions 21 and 22 respectively. If the beaver board 18 had been used for retaining the plastic filler within predetermined confines, it can now again be employed to serve the function of a spacer underlying the front of the picture and superimposed upon another similar spacer 23. These spacers contain silhouetted openings the walls of which are positioned coincidentally with the periphery of the picture 11. In place of two beaver board spacers as shown on Figure 5, a single spacer having a similar silhouetted opening can be substituted, the combined thickness of the two spacers or the height of such single spacer being sufficient to allow the space within the openings to accommodate the projected portions of the picture and keep the furthersembly from the press, and forming the relief contour of the picture by suitable sculptors tools worked upon the front face of the sheet 10,the plastic backing 20 still being soft and yieldable. A backboard 25 is then secured to the mounting 15, against the filler 20, and the picture is now completed.

For production output, a plaster cast impression can be taken of the finished pictide, and a metallic duplicate made thereof,

' to be used as a mould 26 and associated with the upper portion of the press as shown in Figure 6. Each pressing operation will therefore produce a finished relief picture, without the necessity of any hand sculpturing, thereby enabling these pictures to be readily produced in large quantities.

The most outstanding difficulty heretofore experienced in a process of this kind has been the breaking of the paper 10 upon applying pressure thereon. 'By coating the rear surface of sheet 10 with aglue emulsion and then applying heat thereto, the emulsion is considerably softened, and perhaps even melted,so that any fissures that may tend to form in the stock of sheet 10 are filled in by the glue and adhesively held together. The natural cohesion of the fibres in the paper stock is reinforced by the adhesive properties of the glue,and as this glue becomes plastic and extensible under heat, it will withstand considerable stretching.

With this process I have succeeded in stretching ordinary paper far beyond the usual limits heretofore obtained in this kind of work, thereby permitting very pronounced relief effects.

For better results, I prefer to use a backing 13 adhesively attached to the picturebearing sheet 10 and which can be ordinary kraft or other paper,and having the rear thereof also surfaced with the glue emulsion. This serves as a stretchable reinforcing medium for sheet 10, and is equally extensible when subjected to heat.

The emulsion which I find best for the purpose is ground hide glue, which becomes very soft and very Well adapted for this use under heat, and which does not form an undesirable shellac crust.

The non-contracting filler which I use consists of the following ingredients in approximately the following proportion :25

' pounds of whiting, 3 pounds of ground hide glue, 3 pounds of rosin, and one pound of linseed. oil. The rosin and linseed oil'a-re first heated to melting, and then the whitlng and glue mixed and stirred in to give a homogenous, plastic mass,which hardens quickly.

- To prepare this filler for use, it IS placed in a steam bath, and kept there until sufficiently hot and soft for its purpose.

I find that afiller prepared in the abovedescribed manner, readily adheres to the glue surfacing 14 and permanently remains attached thereto; and due to the non-contracting properties of this filler, the plcture never separates therefrom.

It is clear that changes and omissions can be made without departing from the sp rit of this invention, and whenever I refer -to any substance or substances in the clalms, it is to be understood thatsuch reference includes all substances equivalent thereto.

What I claim is:

1. The process of producing relief effects,

comprising the steps of adhesively attaching a flexible backing with a glueemuls on to the rear surface of the picture-bearmg sheet, covering the rear surface of said backing with an emulsion of glue, adhesively attaching said sheet and backing assembly to a suitable mounting containing a silhouetted cut-out of the picture on said sheet, the wall of said cut-out being positioned colnc'identally with the peripheral outline of said picture, placing'a retaining-wall of'apredetermined height upon the rear surface of said '-mounting so that the enclosed area within said wall embraces the area of said cut-out, applying a heated, pliable and plastic mass of slow-hardening material within said re taining wall and upon the exposed portion of the rear surface of said backing and substantially up to thelevel of said wall, the temperature of said mass being no less than that required to soften said glue, removing said retaining wall, preparing suitable spacing means by cutting out from a plate an 1 opening the periphery of which is coinci; dental with the silhouette of the said picture, the thickness of said plate being no less than't-he predetermined furthermost projection of the desired relief picture, superimface of the said sheet with suitable sculptors tools to get the desired relief details, encasing the plastic mass in a suitable enclosure, and attaching said enclosure to said mounting. K

2.- The process of producin relief effects set forth in claim 1, the state pressing surface adjacent the plastic mass being provided with a suitable mould for pressing engagement with said mass to form a predetermined relief effect on said sheet thereby eliminating the stated step ofmanlpulating the front face of the sheet.

3. In a process for producing relief effects, the method of imparting stretchability to the picture-bearing sheet consisting of the steps plying a heated, pliable and plastic mass against said rear surface and exerting pressure thereupon, whereby the glue will become extensible under the. heat of said mass and will adhesively and yieldably hold together fibers of said sheet separated under said pressure.

4. In a process for producing relief effects, the method of imparting stretchability to the picture-bearing sheet consisting of the steps of covering the rearsurface of said sheet with a coating of ground hide glue, applying against sald rear surface a heated plastic mass containing whiting, ground hide glue, rosin and linseed oil, and exerting a stretchability to the picture-bearing sheetv consisting of the steps of adhesively attaching a fiexlble reinforcing backing with a glue emulsion to the rear surface of said sheet, covering the rear surface of said backing with a glue emulsion, said emulsions being adapted to become extensible under heat, and

applying a heated, pliable and plastic mass against the rear surface of said backing and exerting pressure thereupon, whereby the.

glue emulsions will become extensible under the heat-of said mass and will adhesively and yieldably hold together fibers of said sheet and backing separated as a result of said pressure.

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR J. CAMPBELL. 

